The End of the World

Is there a Jewish style Millennium coming?

Within the Messianic/Hebrew Roots community there is a large contingent of those who believe in a Jewish type millennium. When pressed for verses that back their presupposition they have none that are plain and simple. They point to verses in highly symbolic books. So why then do they conclude a physical temple, is hard to understand.

We are not opposed to a Jewish style Millennium, we just don’t see it in scripture. If Messiah shows up and wants a temple built we will have no problem in complying, however speculating that that will be the case is just that, speculation.

There is only one passage that is definitely about the Millennium.

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years were ended. After that he must be loosed for a little while.

4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom judgment was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years. Rev. 20:1-6

Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 1Cor. 15:24

Clearly we are not in any danger of “the end” anytime soon.

Many goofy ideas of what the end will look like are dispelled it we just look at the Bible for ourselves. Messiah “destroying” every rule, authority and power really isn’t what most of us picture. Messiah the anarchist is not what the preachers teach.

Most of us think of the Return of the Lord as the beginning of a great time of peace and prosperity. Where no government or leader would dare oppose the King of Kings. This reads more like He will be taking out anyone who danes to try to rule others. However destroying every rule sounds a lot like the rod of iron passages.

“You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Psa. 2:9

. . . and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received power from my Father; Rev. 2:27

From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. Rev. 19:15

I don’t think most of the people of this earth are going to see this as a great thing. Messiah’s return might look a lot like an alien invasion with the believers as some kind of 5th column. There are a lot of people who might not like having freedom imposed on them.

Or it could be completely different. As we are just speculating on what the prophecy might mean. When looking back at fulfilled prophecy the prophecy always seem far more spectacular then the actual historical fulfillment e.g. the blood moon of Joel 2 is just the coming of the Holy Sprit in Acts 2.

So read though all these passages and see what Messiah reign is said by the Bible to be, and not what men speculate on.